What strategies do super PACs pursue in allocating their money? In this paper, we examine how super PACS spent their money in the 2012 federal elections. What principles guided super PAC spending strategies? Do they follow strategies similar to traditional PACs? We argue that their spending patterns have changed the dynamics of federal campaign finance by directing more funds to individual candidate races than in the past, particularly through candidate-specific super PACs. We find that most super PACs spend their money differently than conventional PACs in that they are less interested in access to sitting lawmakers and more focused on an electoral strategy to affect the partisan composition of government. Thus, super PACs behave more like political parties than traditional PACs. Furthermore, our analysis suggests that some super PAC practices challenge the court decisions and regulations that govern their activities, raising concerns about the impact these new campaign finance